Stampede rides high heading to El Paso

Coming off win, IFL team fired up to play division leader

San Angelo Stampede Express kick returner Joe McClendon is congratulated by fans after running a kickoff back for a touchdown Saturday against Odessa Roughnecks.

SAN ANGELO, Texas - The San Angelo Stampede Express looks to climb back into the Intense Football League playoff picture when it heads west to El Paso today for the first of consecutive games against the Generals.

This will be the second of four scheduled games against their Lone Star Division foe. The Stampede will turn around and make the 400-mile trek again next week for the third meeting.

"The commissioner's office has a tough job trying to schedule 22 different teams at 22 different venues," Stampede General Manager Bridget Carr said of the back-to-back trips. "It is a little rough making the trip two weeks in a row, but we'll make it work."

In their last meeting at the San Angelo Coliseum, El Paso prevailed behind the strong arm of quarterback Tommy Jones, who threw seven touchdowns in the Generals' 53-33 victory.

That was the final game Sonny Cumbie would coach the team. The former Texas Tech Red Raider now leads them into battle as the quarterback.

Playing two straight games against the division-leading Generals, the Stampede have a chance to make up considerable ground in the standings.

With a number of recently signed players and a last-second victory over Corpus Christi last week to snap a four-game losing skid, Carr feels the team is heading in the right direction.

"I think this is the best state the team has been in all season," Carr said. "Obviously anytime you win, the guys get that boost and everybody is fired up and is a little more ready to play.

"Its really helped the team's camaraderie, everyone seems to be coming together as a unit and it has been really exciting to see that."

Currently third in the division standings at 3-4, a Stampede win coupled with a loss by the Abilene Ruff Riders would move the team one game out of first place.

To get that win, San Angelo will have to figure out a way to stop Jones and the IFL's top-rated passing offense.

Jones picked apart the Stampede defense on May 2, completing 16 of 24 pass attempts for 256 yards to go along with the seven touchdowns.

With the recent re-signing of former Angelo State standout Terrelle Bush, Carr hopes they have addressed some of the issues with the pass defense.

"T-Bush is a great defender," Carr said. "He brings a little more leadership and knowledge to the defense."

Narrowly missing the final cut on the Michael Irvin reality show "Fourth and Long," Bush brings an intimidation factor back to the Stampede secondary.

"He hits really hard," Carr said. "He will definitely make a receiver think twice about catching a ball when he's coming at them."

On the offensive side of the ball, the addition of wide receivers Bobby Chase, LaMarcus Preston and Kaylon Price, as well as running back Voncarie Owens have already paid dividends. Each scored at least once in the Corpus Christi win.

The Stampede return home on Saturday June 13 for a rematch with the Corpus Christi Hammerheads, who will no doubt be out for revenge after San Angelo's victory last weekend.

"We will need all the home-field advantage we can get," Carr said. "Our fan support makes a big difference."